Featured Travel Itinerary in Urumqi & Turpan

Day 1 Arrival Urumqi
Arrival at Urumqi in Xinjiang which is the part of Silk Road tours, an area of the unparalleled scenery and cultural diversity.
-Urumqi is an isolated out-posts of the ancient Silk Road. The city once was an important transportation hub on the Silk Road, and now serves as the capital city of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. In the hinterland of the Eurasian continent, the city is on the northern slope of Mt. Tianshan and at the southern edge of Jungar Basin. With unique natural beauty and rich folk customs, Urumqi is an ideal tourist destination in China.
Day 2 Urumqi
Take a driving for 120km northeast to visit the holy Heavenly Lake (Tianchi). The beautiful lake is flanked by rugged pines and cypresses, with clear melting waters reflecting the surrounding of snow capped mount Bogeda. After the tour you will be transferred back to downtown, you can then take a short visit to Erdaoqiao Grand Bazaar, which is believed to be the largest outdoor market in town.
-Heavenly Lake is located half way up Bogda Peak in Fukang County, 110km east of Urumqi City. As a natural alpine lake, it has an elevation of 1,980 meters. In the shape of a half moon, the lake is 3,400 meters long, about 1,500 meters wide, and 105 meters at the deepest point. With limpid water, the lake shines like a sapphire under the sun and is surrounded by green mountains. At the southeast end of the lake is the magnificent Bogda Peak, meaning "Sacred Mountain" in the Mongolian language.
-Erdaoqiao is situated at the Erdaoqiao Block of South Jiefang Road in Urumqi, where you'll find a bustling market filled with fruit, clothing, crafts, knives, carpets and many antique items. The market has special space for grand ethnic songs and dances performances, and the folk street is furnished with a miniature landscape of Xinjiang's attractions. On Sunday, there are more stalls and more goods than any other days.

Day 3 Urumqi,Turpan
Today, you will take hours driving to Turpan, on the way, you will pass Urumqi Wind Power Mill, which was built for producing electrical power in the area. After cross the valley of Tianshan we will arrive in the lowest depression of China-Turpan City. Upon arrival, visit the mysterious death city, the Ruins of Jiaohe Ancient City, which reveals traces of a prosperous ancient trading center and military stronghold 1,600 years ago and an optional attraction for last minute China travel deals. And then visit Emin Minaret (Sugong Pagoda) - the biggest ancient pagoda existing in Xinjiang and the only Islamic ancient pagoda in the country and ancient Karez Well, the underground water supply and irrigation system.
-Turpan, an oasis city, is located at the southern foot of Bogda Peak and in the center of Turpan Depression. Because of the drastic 5,000-meter difference in height between the mountain tops and the bottom of the depression, the scenery too, varies greatly at different altitudes from perpetual snow at the summits to green oasis at the foot of the mountains. After a long journey from the desert, tourists are always fascinated by the extraordinary beauty of the depression with its snow-capped mountains, salt lake, and particularly the Flaming Mountains.
-Jiaohe meaning in Chinese where two rivers meet was once the most forward outpost in the West for ages. Historical records and excavation reveal evidence of a prosperous ancient trading center and military stronghold from 1,600 years ago. Owing to the arid climate and remote location, Jiaohe remains relatively intact, leaving us a rare example of an earthen castle, the largest, oldest and best-preserved earthen city in the world.
-Emin Minaret is the largest extant ancient Islamic tower in Xinjiang. Standing 2 km (1.24 miles) east of Turpan, Emin Minaret was built in 1777 in honor of a heroic Turpan general named Emin Khoja. This 44-meter (144 feet) high minaret tapers to an Islamic dome without stories inside. In the center of the minaret is a brick-piled pillar with 72 steps around it spiraling to the top. The whole construction was made of grey bricks which were formed 15 different patterns such as waves, flowers or rhombuses, by smart Uygur architects.
-Karez Well is reputed as one of the three major construction projects in ancient China, together with the Great Wall and the Grand Canal. The history of this unique underground irrigation system can be traced back over more than 2,000 years: The combined lengths of the underground Karez channels in Xinjiang amounts to 5,000 meters. It provided an innovative and elegant resolution to several problems, capturing melting snow and ice from mountains, and channeling it underground to where it was employed for irrigation, overcoming the interruptions to flow caused by sandstorms, wind and huge losses from evaporation that plague a ground-level, open canal system.
Day 4 Turpan
Have another day excursion in Turpan that including the visit to Gaochang Ancient City, which was an important garrison town on the Silk Road, Grape Valley, FlamingMountain and Bezeklik Caves. After the tour, be transferred back to Urumqi after visits.
-Gaochang Ancient City located at the east of Turpan, the city-state that ruled the area from the 9th century to the 13th. The city was actually founded a few hundred years earlier than that, and gradually became known as a trading post on the Silk Road. Most of the ruins are gone, but enough remain to give a feeling of the true size and majesty of this Silk Road city. The city was divided into an outer city, an inner city, and a palace compound. The best-preserved structures in the ruins are two temples in the southwest and southeast corners of the outer city section.

-The Grape Valley is located in Flaming Mountain which is famous for the Journey to the West and many consider it for popular China travel package. From ancient times, this place has been famous for the cultivation of the sweetest, tastiest grapes. Be enticed by the sight of bunches of green pearl-like grapes hanging from the vines in splendid profusion. It’s a great relief to recline in the shade of the green leaves and delight in the fresh juicy fruit, appreciating the coolness after the heat outside.

-The Flaming Mountains are so named because in the evenings the red clay mountains reflect the heat and glow of the desert and seem to burn. Situated on the northern edge of the Turpan Basin, and stretching over 100 km long and 10 km wide, this is an intensely hot part of the desert without a single blade of grass to be seen for miles. In the severe heat of July, the mountains seem to be on fire in the burning sun and become a purplish-brown color. Hot steam rises upwards from the burning cliffs and it is no surprise that this is where the hottest temperatures in China ever, were recorded.

-Bezeklik Caves is located in a gorgeous valley of the Flaming Mountains. More than 100 caves were hewn out of this cliff face between the 6th and 9th centuries by Buddhist monks who farmed the valley below. They were abandoned at about the same time as Gaochang Ancient City and Jiaohe Ancient City after the Muslim take over of the region in the late 14th century.

-Astana was the public cemetery of the ancient Gaochang residents, both aristocrats and commoners. However, among 456 excavated tombs, no King of Gaochang has been found. The dead were placed on an earthen or wooden bed in the back of the chamber; they had wood in both hands and wore cotton, linen or silk clothes. Around them were arranged miniature pavilions, carts and horses, parades, musical instruments, chess sets, pens and ink, grapes, melons, dumplings and pancakes. In the ancient Chinese people's mind, these were to be used by the dead in another world. Owing to the arid climate, the relics are very well preserved. The relics along silk road make contribution to the local China tourism.
Day 5 Departure Urumqi
Say goodbye to beautiful Xinjiang. Be transferred to the airport for your flight to next stop

Lhasa's sunshine, mystique attracts diverse visitors

Pilgrims, backpackers and tourists have swarmed the holy city of Lhasa despite the bitter winter and lack of oxygen, basking in sunshine and praying for good luck during the new year.
Pargor Street, which encircles the Jokhang Temple in the heart of Lhasa (a holy tourist destination included in your packages of China vacation deals), is packed every day with pilgrims, who have hiked days or even months to the holy city, sightseers, who have chosen to tour Lhasa in the slack season, and metropolitan dwellers, who enjoy soaking up the ancient city's charm and ambiance.

Madlha Wagyalha prostrates himself in front of the Jokhang Temple, vowing his faith in Sakyamuni, the founder of Buddhism. (The Tibetan taxi driver from the neighboring Qinghai Province has taken his wife and 5-year-old son to Lhasa to honor a commitment to Sakyamuni, which he made exactly a year ago.
The family left their home in Yushu, Qinghai in September and trekked four months to Lhasa. "Every night, we prostrated ourselves in Lhasa's direction before going to sleep in our tent," said Madlha Wagyalha.
For the devout Buddhist, the brutal cold and fatigue are nothing compared with the fulfillment of the pilgrimages to Jokhang and the Potala Palace, a lifelong dream for many Tibetans.
"Now at the Jokhang Temple, I feel I'm the happiest man on earth," he said.
The Jokhang Temple, which houses a life-sized statue of Buddha Sakyamuni as a 12-year-old, is the most renowned monastery in Lhasa.

DREAMS KEPT ALIVE
Two stylish young women sat crosslegged with solemn faces as they watched the Tibetans practice their observances.
"I feel calm and peaceful myself just to sit here in the sunshine and look at these devout Buddhists," said one of the women, who identified herself by her nickname "Dulupi."
Dulupi, from the southern Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, never secured a job after she graduated from Beijing Institute of Fashion Technology in 2009. "I'd feel like a loser in a fast-paced city, but here in Lhasa I feel quite content."
For at least three weeks, she has enjoyed doing nothing but sitting in the sunshine and visiting Lhasa's tea houses with her new friend "Shadow" from Shanghai (a popular destination included in popular China tour package).
Unlike Dulupi, who plans to eventually return to a big city and become a fashion designer, Shadow is hoping to fulfil her dream in Lhasa.

Although trained as a chemist, Shadow said her dream to be a painter never died.
"I enjoy painting in the sunshine and tranquility in front of the Jokhang Temple," she said. "I've painted the devout Buddhists, young and old, and the red-and-white Tibetan style buildings."
Shadow hopes she can one day learn to paint thangkas, the traditional Tibetan scroll paintings, though she is not certain if any Tibetan artist would be willing to accept a Han woman as an apprentice.
VENDOR'S FOR LHASA
For nine years, Duan Xin has been selling porcelain ware at a stall on Pargor Street just a few paces from the Jokhang Temple (a must-see in Lhasa for your top 10 China tours).
His Tibetan-style tea sets and incense burners sell particularly well every year before and during the Tibetan New Year holiday.
This year, Tibetan New Year's Day falls on Feb. 22, about a month after the traditional Chinese Lunar New Year's Day.

Duan has ordered dainty tea sets whose cups and saucers are attached together by a magnetic ring. "It makes tea drinking and refilling it more convenient. The bright yellow color is also considered auspicious by Tibetans".
Duan, a native of Anhui Province in central China, came to Lhasa after he lost a factory job there. He has made many Tibetan friends and speaks fluent Tibetan.
Even his annual homecoming trip has never lasted for more than two weeks. "Very quickly, I miss Jokhang and Pargor and become eager to return to Lhasa."
For more, you can contact with China tour operator.

Xitang: a two-day dream in an ancient town

Many ancient towns which sit upon the southern arm of the Yangtze River appear similar: a calm river over which spans small arched bridges, and on the water bob several boats with black awnings. The streets are humid flagstone, and the scene has been the inspiration for many nostalgic poets.
Walking through one of these towns is like going to visit an old friend; the familiar-seeming feeling is strong, even if one has not been there before.
These towns have a strong sense of composure. The buildings and the setting seem to be undisturbed by the bustle of daytime vendors and human traffic. Those locals to a preserved town also seem to wear an almost serene look as they meander down their hometown streets.
It is said that the best way to preserve a historic site is to live in it and thus care about its upkeep. Xitang exemplifies this attitude. A living ancient town in northern Zhejiang Province, Xitang is a place where time seems to have stood still for a thousand years and always contained in the list of last minute China travel deals.
Long corridor through misty rain
Backpackers usually prefer sunny weather. But, it is a real fortune if you encounter a rainfall in Xitang. The town is quite small, and a long corridor winds through it from east to west. Beneath the corridor is the river, called Yangxiujing.
Low-rise buildings were built along the flowing stream. Standing in the corridor, one can see an endless row of carved wooden windows and find themselves engrossed in the peace of ordinary life. Meanwhile, in the eyes of those looking out of their window onto the bank, you become part of the scenery.
Before leaving for Xitang, I booked a family inn along the water. The owner surnamed Zhong promised to keep a second-floor room for me, the window of which was facing the Yangxiujing River.
Like all travelers who had never been there before, my friend and I stood outside a long alley and wondered where the entrance was. The whole town was so secluded.
The owner sent his sister to pick us up. She arrived on time, and became a warm-hearted free guide. She led us through the long, winding corridor, and then one bridge after another, chatting and laughing all the way. We found out later this sincerity is common among locals in this small town.
The staircase to the second-floor room at the Zhong's was dim and steep, and led to a completely different world. Before my eyes was a room decorated with furniture in the style of the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties. Facing the broad wooden window was a carved bed and a high off-the-ground tea table. Right beside the window was a dresser, with the mirror reflecting Xitang's long corridor and verdant trees.
It was the rainy season, when the downpour could begin at anytime. In the poems by ancient literaries, they describe the rainy season as when people had lots of leisure time, and invited friends home to drink, chat and play chess.
I heard the rain right after I started to unpack my bag. It sounded increasingly hasty, falling on the grey tiles and the river beneath the window. The corridor outside became unreal. For a while, I stood beside the window and listened to the rainfall. I could feel not only the tranquil world, but inside my own quiet thoughts as well. China tourism in Xitang is an important element to develop economy.
One night in the town
Xitang changes at different times of a day. During the night it appears more lively than during the day. On my first day I had a good sleep in the afternoon, breathing to the rhythm of the rain. Once I was well-rested, it was time to go outside and explore.

The rain had stopped by the time I got out onto the street. Water drops that had accumulated on the roof fell down eaves and spattered onto the cobblestone below. In the dim alley, a vendor cried about his iced mung bean soup for sale. We bought two bowls of the soup, and enjoyed it at a table in the alley. The delicious refreshment was a pleasant static moment.
Taking a walk along the river could make one quite nostalgic. Now the evening gradually fell. Riverside, red lanterns were lit all along the way. Big cloth signs, bearing huge characters for "tea" or "wine," fluttered in the wind.
Along the narrow alleys, long vines spread on the walls. Their outlines formed an abstract scene of beauty in the glimmer of yellow road lamps. You could hear the sound of boat oars slowly tapping the water. The fishermen were returning home with their daily yield. With the smell of dinner floating through the air, I imagined the scenes of family life taking place behind the brick walls inside each of the dwellings I passed.
For tourists, this was just the beginning of the night life. Walking along the winding corridor, we passed numerous tables. Around each table were two or three tourists, chatting and enjoying beer, barbeque and steamed pork slices. A few sat in sling chairs quietly, lost in tea mist and in the shadows from the dim lights reaching them from the opposite bank of the river. The tables we passed had such a range of social activity, some boisterous and some quiet - it was like walking past an accumulation of completely different existences bound together only by that moment.
A fisherman floats down the calm waterway.

We took a boat down to a bridge a little ways up the river. Voices on the bank gradually became remote. The boatman took up his pole, and shoved the boat from the dock. As we approached our destination, the ancient local opera stage, the long corridor leading to it, and those residences beside became to loom smaller and more ambiguously. Only the rows of red lanterns mirrored in the ripple upon the water's surface reminded me I was in a boat, not a tipsy dream.
From the ancient opera stage, a woman was singing a local ditty for guests. Our boatman commented on her singing -well, rather laughed at it. I felt like I was traveling backward by hundreds of years. If that did happen, I thought to myself, I would get up early and wash clothes in the river the following morning, and I would finish dinner hastily to grasp a good seat before the opera stage the next evening. My imagination began to run away with me, thinking about having my own moments like the poets; to sit with friends and play chess. The boat ride was the most unforgettable part of my popular China tours in Xitang.

Waiting for the town to wake up
I got up very early the next morning. Along the long corridor, the doors remained closed. As daybreak arrived, the red lanterns that had remained on since dusk gradually went out. It was a humid morning. The mist tinted the scene of bridge and river into an ink and watercolor painting. Most people were still in sleep. Occasionally an old man opened his door, carrying a small stove outside to make a fire. The squeaky wooden door reverberated through the sleeping town and left it in an even deeper quiet. We thus stood on the bridge, and waited for this small town to wake up slowly.
After a while, women went out to do the laundry at the riverside. They beat clothes with a stick on flat slates, and then squeezed the water out. A peddler pushed his cart out along the corridor, calling "for sale" for his bean curd jelly. A few men started to use long poles to fish out the "wishing lamps" left discarded in the water from the night before by tourists.
The most eye-catching part of the morning routine, however, was the fishermen in the middle of the river, commanding their army of workers to fish. Fisherman with an abundant load eagerly presented themselves to their bosses, looking for a reward.
Amid the bright smiles upon the faces of people scattered on the bank, the sun shines generously upon us. The sling chair that sits under a shelter of melon vines, the pair of stone lions in front of a large house, as well as the magic ancient opera stage, all have cast off the mystical coat they wore at night, and wear a brand new look. The hustle and bustle has come again, and a new day has officially begun.
For a town as small as Xitang, two days is enough. It was a short journey, that saw us walk the same corridors several times, but it is a beautiful getaway from the busy, noisy life of the big city. It was like a dream where we were drunk in the scene of an ancient poem, and were placed to float amid the flowing river and the white walls it reflects.
It is tough to achieve a calm balance in a town like Xitang where tourists come to escape the big city, but inevitably commercialism follows them to serve their needs.
Along the southern arms of the Yangtze River (Yangtze River cruise), there were once many towns like Xitang. Some had become more well-known, like Wuzhen and Zhouzhuang, but the tranquility in these towns has practically been undermined by ubiquitous commercialism.

Xitang holds a much more underground profile, and succeeds in the balance. Most tourists visit it through recommendations by friends and relatives, and the preservation of its ancient feeling is obvious. Hopefully this trend will continue. I full-heartedly recommend coming to a place like Xitang with a sense of respect for the serenity it provides, so that others can enjoy it too long after you leave.
It's hard to know, given the speed of commercialization and modernization, how long the modesty and peace of the ancient towns in this region will last. Tourists are looking for a dream of ancient times, but the locals do want the benefits offered by modernity.
But for selfish tourists like us, there's nothing wrong with finding a way to travel back in time among these mountains and rivers. At present, Xitang still retains the peaceful dream of antiquity. But if you asked me what the best time to go there was, I would say the sooner the better.
If you are interested in the ancient towns of China, you should contain Xitang in your China vacation packages.

Saving the Silk Road

Two-thousand years ago, endless streams of camels carried Chinese silk, porcelain and spice along the ancient Silk Road westward to Central Asia, Western Asia and Europe. Following the same route, Western technologies, plants and handicrafts were transported to China. The endless sound of jingling bells meant that business was thriving, helping to form numerous important trading centers in the countries along the road.
The Silk Road (Silk Road tour ), which started from ancient Chang'an (present day Xi'an) and Luoyang, meandered west to the Mediterranean region and south to the Indian subcontinent and was the longest and most influential route of culture exchange and trade as long ago as 2nd century BC. The prosperity of the road came to an end in the 16th century when it was finally abandoned.
Along the route today are only the remains of cities and trade centers eroded by time, yet not forgotten. Before it is too late, China and five countries in Central Asia that cover the main lengths of the Silk Road, have been making joint efforts to maintain and protect the sites by presenting it to the World Heritage Committee to get it included on the World Heritage List and mark its global value.

New attention
Over 7,000 kilometers and covering 27 countries, the Silk Road has played a significant role in promoting dialogues between countries in culture, trade, religion and so on. But since its abandonment, most of the sites along the road have suffered from natural and human destruction in China without being properly protected.
For example, the site of Jiaohe ancient city (a destination for affordable China tours) in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, which used to be an important city on the Silk Road, was destroyed during a war in the 14th century. Since it was built of earth, it has suffered from serious weathering and is in danger of collapse. The site of Loulan ancient city, located in the desert of southeast Xinjiang, was also in danger of becoming extinct due to wind erosion and destruction by treasure hunters.
Some historical sites in other countries, including Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, were in a state of oblivion for lack of proper protection and management. Against this backdrop, UNESCO launched "Integral Study of the Silk Roads: Roads of Dialogue" project in 1988 to address the world value of the road as a rich common heritage of Eurasia.
The project, which consists of a series of scientific expeditions and research, revived the world's interest in the road and made including entire or parts of the Silk Road on the World Heritage List possible.
In 2006, China and five Central Asian countries, including Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Tajikistan began the job of putting the Silk Road on the list, promoted by UNESCO. In 2011, the first phrase of two lines was decided. One concerns China, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan for the Tianshan heritage corridor. The three countries are expected to submit the final dossiers by next month as the first step.

"The Silk Road has made an extraordinary contribution to the common development of human society. Making it a World Heritage will help protect the numerous and rich relics along the path and further promote the communication and cooperation between nations along the line," an official with the State Administration of Cultural Heritage (SACH) surnamed Tong told the Global Times.
Transnational job
SACH, the ministry of culture and information of Kazakhstan and the ministry of culture and China tourism of Kyrgyzstan signed an agreement about the transnational nomination in Beijing last May in the first meeting of the coordinating committee for nomination of the initiating terminal and Tianshan corridor section of the Silk Road.
According to Tong, the working groups from the three countries have held three meetings to discuss the application, monitoring and management of the tentative sites. "Based on sufficient discussion and study, we have reached an agreement on the main content of the nomination dossier for the preliminary review and final dossiers," said Tong. She added that the dossier for the preliminary review of the three countries have been submitted to the World Heritage Center last September.

As UNESCO suggested, China, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan plan to submit the final dossiers to UNESCO before February 1st with the hope that it will be submitted to the World Heritage Committee for examination and to be listed in 2014. At present, the workgroups of the three countries are making the final check of the dossiers.
Among the over 7,000 kilometers of the Silk Road sections, over 4,000 kilometers are in China. The Chinese government has placed great emphasis on protecting the relics along the road since the 1980s. It also listed the sections of the Silk Road in China on the preparatory list of World Cultural Heritage in 1994. Since the project was initiated in 2006, the central government has drastically increased financial support for the protection of important relics along the route.
Tong revealed to the Global Times that a total of 22 sites in China will be recommended this time, an adjustment down from the previous 24. It covers six provinces and autonomous regions including Henan, Shaanxi, Gansu, Qinghai, Ningxia and Xinjiang, with major sites such as the relics of Chang'an city in Han (206BC-220AD) and Tang (618-907) dynasties, the relics of Luoyang city (an ancient city to learn the culture of ancient China to color popular China tour package) in Sui (581-618) and Tang dynasties and the site of Loulan ancient city.
"There is no exact number of the sites in China yet," said Tong. "The 22 sites selected are consistent with the sites nominated in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan geographically. Most of them are key sites under national protection and managed well."
Kazakhstan will nominate eight objects in the Semirechye section of the Silk Road along the Tian-shan Mountain, according to Dmitriy Voyakin, regional facilitator for the project in Almaty. It includes Antonovka ancient settlement - medieval Kayalyk, Talgar ancient settlement, Kulan ancient settlement, which are important sites on the Silk Road dating back from the 6th to 13th centuries and earlier.
Kyrgyzstan will nominate three archaeological sites in the Chuy Valley in the north of Kyrgyzstan, including City of Suyab (Ak-Beshim), City of Balasagun (Burana) and City of Nevaket (Krasnaya Rechka). Ainura Tentieva, member of the international working group on the nomination in Kyrgyzstan, told the Global Times the nomination dossier has already been compiled and they are now conducting the final check.
Bitter first
The model of nominating cultural roads as world heritage sites is new and this is a first for China. Also, it is the first transnational nomination of so large a scale in history and that means great difficulties.
Jing Feng, an official with UNESCO's World Heritage Center, said the transnational application provides good opportunities for cooperation between countries and regions.
Tentieva told the Global Times that the project helps all the participating countries to better understand the Silk Road through mutual scientific and cultural exchange. "Since the initial project started in 2006, Kyrgyzstan has definitely enhanced communication and coordination with China and Kazakhstan in terms of relic protection."
But it also means great difficulties. It is reported that the deadline for China and the five Central Asian countries to submit the final dossiers had to be postponed several times. "A new deadline would be proposed in every meeting, but it was always delayed," Tang Wei, director of World Heritage Department of SACH, once told media.
Jing said the job went slowly because it is a very complicated project and the basis for application in these countries is uneven. "World Heritage Centre can only push the process. The concrete job relies on the coordination between different governments."
Since the three countries are from different cultures, the working groups need to overcome hurdles caused by language, geographical and cultural differences in the coordination. "The challenge is, the three teams are working separately, which causes some extra load on communication: double, triple translation, mailing, and so on," said Tentieva, "but we overcome this in the project."
While preparing the final dossiers, working groups of the three countries are busy pushing forward the job of monitoring, protecting the relics and the environmental renovation around them. The work must be finished before June because a group of international experts will visit every site to evaluate and examine them between July and August.
"Regulations regarding the protection and management of the relics have been compiled in every site," said Tong. "They also have enhanced the monitoring and exhibition of the relics and interprovincial communication and coordination to secure the authenticity and integrity of the Silk Road sites."
Sweet later
The general process goes smooth in each country, but due to the long history and the large scale of these sites, challenges remain in terms of identification, preservation and management. Voyakin told the Global Times that it takes a huge investment of manpower and time to manage every step of the project.
Another difficulty is to mark the border and the buffer zones. He said most sites in Kazakhstan are surrounded by residences or are being used in some other way. They need to persuade the people to leave, if necessary, or sign agreements with them asking them to be careful around the sites nearby. "We cannot simply ask them to leave," Voyakin said, "We need to be careful and flexible."
The working group in China faces similar challenges. Wang Ge, director of the sites protection office in Luoyang, said the nominated sites in Luoyang cover over 10 square kilometers and the main site is in the countryside. It covers three administrative regions, and has resulted in overloading coordination and management resources.
"As to the surrounding farmland, there is consideration of establishing a ruins park and ecological or sight-seeing agriculture," she said, "[the plan should] consider both the protection of the sites and the farmers' interests."
In spite of the tedious and hard process, the prospects of the project are obviously bright to Tong and her counterparts in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. "If the nomination succeeds, it will not only enhance the protection and management of Silk Road (Silk Road tours) relics and the management of other relics, but also promote sustainable and harmonious development of the local society and economy."
"We hope it will attract more tourists to visit the ancient Silk Road and boost the economic development for Kazakhstan," said Voyakin. "The money can be used for the future protection of these sites."
He added that the New Silk Road, the Eurasian Continental Bridge that travels through over 40 countries and regions in Central Asia and Europe, basically overlaps sections of the ancient Silk Road. "It is amazing. The monuments lie along the new road, uttering cultural voices along the road that connects China and other countries' economic relationship today."
Since the transnational project started, it has attracted increasing international attention. The participating countries have increased from the initial China plus five Central Asian countries to over 10 other countries, including Japan, India, Iran and Afghanistan.

Journey into Chinese Culture Along Subway Lines

Line 5 of the Beijing Subway, opened on 7th October 2007, is Beijing's first north-south subway line. It runs for 27.6 km, in a near straight line, just east of the city centre from Tiantongyuan North in Changping District to Songjiazhuang in Fengtai District, connecting five main districts of Beijing which is the must-see for affordable China tours: Fengtai, Chongwen, Dongcheng, Chaoyang and Changping.
Line 10 of the Beijing Subway (I), opened on 19th July 2007, is a major subway line which joins the east and north of Beijing together. It lasts 25 km long.
Both are important subway lines in Beijing. Many of the places the lines pass by have a long and interesting history. On line 5 and 10, citizens not only enjoy the convenience of modern transportation, but it’s also likely that they will have a journey of Chinese Culture.
Subway stations of Line 5
Beixinqiao Subway Station
It’s located on the high street of Beijing. The name of place has a long and interesting story. Once upon a time, there was a hero whose name is Yao Guangxiao. He had fought against the Emperor Chinese Dragon for a long time. Eventually, Yao was so superior to the dragon that it hid himself in a well to avoid being punished. Yao locked the well with an iron chain, constructed a bridge over it and claimed that the dragon could never come out of the well before the bridge gets old. Every bridge gets old. However, the dragon hadn’t been happy for long because Yao named the bridge “Xin”, which means new in Chinese. No one has seen this Emperor Chinese dragon ever since.
Tiantongyuan South Subway Station
The Tiantongyuan South Subway Station was constructed to resemble the Olympic Rings Car. Red as its theme, the subway station put each of the five rings color on a big board and has them connected by a huge information wall. It represents the close friendship of the five parts of the world. People in the station have access to the sunlight from every angle because of the translucent glass. As a matter of fact, it’s very easy for one in the station to notice what’s going on outside, while on the other hand , people out of the station can hardly see through the glass, which adds mystery to this subway station.
Lishuiqiao South Subway Station
China is famous for its Chinese Dragon. The exterior outline of the station is just designed after this world renowned Chinese figure. In Chinese culture, the Chinese Dragon is a composition of physical strength and spiritual perseverance, which always reminds people of mundane achievements. Actually, the appearance of the station is like an invisible Chinese Dragon, with white columnar reinforcing steel bar interleaving as its bones and the irregular glass windows as its squama. What’s more, the extraventricular stairs at the four exits are like natural claws and it’s amazing to see people walking in and out from them.
Huixinxijie Beikou Subway Station
The layout of the station is plain but exquisite. The artistic ceramic wall inside is decorated by a series of Chinese calligraphy works that are originated from very famous Chinese ancient books like Three-character Scripture, Thousand-Character Essay, Hundred Family Surnames, etc.
Lama Temple Subway Station
This station is the joint intersection of Subway Line 2 and Subway Line 5. Not far from it is the distinguished Lama Temple (a popular destination contained in tours top 10 China tour packages), which used to be the accommodation of Yinzhen, the fourth son of the renowned emperor of Qing Dynasty Kangxi. After Yinzhen took office, he made the place state department. His son Qianlong changed it to Lama Temple to help him achieve his religious end after his death, also with the purpose of comforting the monks in Tibet and Mongolia area.
Zhangzizhonglu Subway Station
The street where the station is located is named in memory of a general in the anti-Japanese war. Zhang Zizhong, the commander of the National Army Corps 29, who fought crazily against the invading Japanese troops with his men in a battle in Xiangfan, Hubei Province. Unfortunately, he was surrounded, failed to escape and finally devoted his life to his beloved nation. On this street, huge reliefs displaying he and his comrades fighting to the death on the battlefield are carved, reminding people of those years of tough times and the courage of the Chinese people.
Dongsi Subway Station
The most remarkable highlight about this station is that two Chinese chessboards are decorated on the floor of the waiting room. The Chessboards are made of marble stone with real chessmen on it. It is like an interesting live Chinese chess game show with the two opponent players missing. On the chessboards, with only one further step one side will win the game. But what make things amusing is that it’s the other side’s turn to make the next move. The result varies, leaving the situation much more complicated. This is the right reflection of what Beijing citizens usually do to amuse themselves and kill time.
Dengshikou Subway Station
Dengshikou means Lantern Market in English. The name comes from a local custom. In the Ming Dynasty, people hung big lanterns and lamps along the street after the lunar calendar New Year, making it a sleepless and flourishing street. So the street is called lantern market.
Tiantan East Gate Subway Station
Tiantan, or the Temple of Heaven, is the place where emperors in the Ming and Qing dynasties came to worship and pray for an abundant harvest and now become the famous attraction for popular China tours.
Tiantan East Gate Subway Station creates a small temple of heaven in itself. With round lamps on the ceilings and square marble bricks embedded in the floor, this small temple of heaven is an annotation of the old Chinese legend saying that the heaven is round while the earth is square.
Subway stations of Line 10
Suzhou Street as the station is called, it used to be a trade street here that was built in 1761. The Chinese Emperor Qianlong in Qing Dynasty (1964-1911) created this street following famous town Suzhou in the south to celebrate his mother’s 70th birthday. Stretching from Wanshou Temple to Haidian Town, the street lasted miles. Sharp businessmen from Suzhou (a most-visited destination included in China travel packages ) were invited to do business here. Seeing fancy stores around and hearing the soft southern accents from them, when walked here, you felt like you were in the old but flourishing southern town Suzhou. Anyway, the street was demolished in 1860 by the combined armies of the English and French. However, with the rapid development of Beijing city, this street come back to life again with even more stores and some fantastic boutiques.
Jiandemen Subway Station
The station shares the same name with the northwest gate of the Capital in Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), which used to be a must place to go through when the Yuan troops set out to the North. When the anti-Yuan Captain Xu Da (1332-1385) captured the city in 1368, the old Yuan Dynasty’s capital’s northern rampart was relocated south 2.5 kilometers away. As a result the Jiandemen at the old city rampart disappeared with the old wall, leaving only the title.
Beitucheng Subway Station
The name came from the site of the north rampart in the period of the Yuan Dynasty. 24 meters wide at the bottom, 8 meters on the top, with a height of 16 meters, the wall is just like an earth platform. So it is called tucheng, meaning city made out of earth. Like Jiandemen, the earth platform fell behind the time and disappeared too when the Ming Dynasty（1368-1644）came to power and rearranged the rampart. Beitucheng Subway Station is the originating station of subway line 8, the special Olympic line.
Shaoyaoju Subway Station
Shaoyaoju means Chinese Peony Palace. The sub district nearby is called Shaoyaoju Subdistrict. It used to be an anonymous village with no more than thirty households. It is said that every family here grew Chinese Peonies, which is special for imperial use. The emperor even titled the village shaoyaoju, meaning Chinese Peony palace and the name has passed down from generation to generation.
Taiyanggong Subway Station
Taiyanggong is Sun Palace in English. The station is named after a temple nearby. It is said that when Emperor Qianlong toured passed here, the sun was rising in the east. The village here was showered in a mild light. Amused by the view, Qianlong named the place taiyanggong, which means sun palace in English. The villagers felt grateful to the emperor and built a temple with the same name to show their respect to the emperor.
Liangmaqiao Subway Station
The title which means bright horses bridge originated from the Liangma Bridge outside Dongzhi Gate. It is said that in the early years groups of ancient businessmen often washed their horses in the stream under the bridge before they went into the city, then tied them to the willows along the river to have them dried. That’s why the river is called Drying horses River: Liangmahe. With time passing by, the pronunciation remains, but the meaning has changed into Bright Horses River. In the Qing Dynasty, a white marble bridge was built over the river and shared its name.
People named the station after one of the Eight Scenic Locations of Beijing: The Golden Terrace in the Glow of the Setting Sun, Jintaixizhao in Chinese. The tale goes that there once was a golden terrace constructed by King Yan Zhao more than 2,500 years ago. The king built it with a purpose of attracting people with abilities from all over China by mountains of gold. But whether it’s true or not, remains a mystery. What is affirmative is that the terrace did exist and was listed in the Eight Sceneries of Beijing in Jin Dynasty（1115-1234）before it was destroyed in the Qing Dynasty.
Guomao Subway Station
Located in the CBD, the most bustling downtown area in Beijing, the station has a pretty simple and plain theme. This reflects the special purpose of the designer. With Chinese painting bamboo decorated along the hallway, the designer aims to create a Xanadu out of the high-paced metropolis. After a day of hard work, the white collar workers will soon be comforted by the quite and folksy atmosphere.
It is cheap to take subway to attractions in Beijing and save for your China travel.

Spice of Sichuan cuisine adds some variety to life

Many with only a basic knowledge of the country may know that gongbao chicken and mapo tofu are two types of typical Chinese cuisine, but what they may not know is that both come from Sichuan, a hot tourist place included in the packages of last minute China travel deals .
Sichuan cuisine is one of the four most-cherished branches of Chinese cuisine. One can find Sichuan food worldwide, but the opportunity to try some authentic Sichuan dishes in Chengdu is one that cannot be missed.
Characterized by its spicy and pungent flavor, Sichuan cuisine emphasizes the use of chili peppers and prickly ash, creating a blend of flavors unique to the region.


Sichuan's spicy dishes can be quite daunting for some, but the region offers something on the menu for everyone.
Sichuan cuisine has more than 20 kinds of major flavor combinations based on six major tastes - numb, spicy, sweet, salty, sour and bitter.
There are several major kinds of Sichuan restaurants you will see in Chengdu which is famous for pandas and most visited by tourists for China best tours, including classic Sichuan food, home-style dishes, Zigong Salt Gang.
Each of these represents a different family of Sichuan cuisine. Classic Sichuan cuisine emphasizes the balance of different flavors, while home-style dishes originate from family kitchens.


Zigong Salt Gang is not only a major branch of Sichuan Cuisine but also a profound accumulation of Chinese salt culture. The food is spicier and full of ginger, numbing spices and millet pepper. Brave diners interested in a culinary adventure are urged to try it out.
So you should taste the cuisine in Sichuan to color your China vacation packages.

Mt. Muztagh Ata - Climbing the Father of Ice Mountain

- Cross sparkling rivers camelback in pursuit of Muztag Ata, the scenic peak of the Pamir Mountains
- See the world from a breathtaking perspective, as you trek past glaciers at 17,000 ft
- Explore the heart of Kashgar (a destination for Silk Road tour), visiting the Irislahan Mosque and haggling with locals at a renowned bazaar selling almost anything imaginable

Towering at 7,546 meters (24,750 ft), Muztagh Ata - or "Father of Ice Mountain" in the local Uighur dialect - lies 160 km (102 miles) south of the fabled city of Kashgar, in the heart of the great mountain ranges of Central Asia. A round-topped mountain enveloped year-round in snow, more than ten glaciers lie in its many canyons. Its reflection in the deep blue waters of Lake Karakul dazzles and inspires the intrepid visitor. Across the lake also lies Muztagh Ata's cousins of Kongur Shan (7,649 m/25,088 ft) and Kongur Tobe (7,530 m/24,698 ft). A total of three massive mountain ranges - the Pamirs, Karakorams, and Kunluns - converge in this single area, altogether forming a vast and untamed terrain that is stunningly spectacular in its natural beauty, so it attracts so many tourists for their popular China travel package.


The focus of this journey is to make a trek up the broad slopes of Mt. Muztagh Ata, one of the climbing world's most popular 7,000m+ mountains (due to its relative ease to summit, though in our case we go only to Camp 1 at 5,300m). We begin by meeting in Urumqi, and then flying onto Kashgar. Here we spend a day touring the city before embarking on the road towards the Western border area of Xinjiang and the starting point of our 8 day trek. Crossing open grasslands and glacier valleys, we travel in the company of Kyrgyz, Tajik and Kazakh herdsmen who tend sheep and yaks at the base of Muztagh Ata and call this remote terrain home. We also experience the generosity of these people as they invite us for yak butter tea and bread during stops in high mountain pastures. We continue at an unhurried pace up the western slope, appreciating the magnificent birds-eye views of Muztagh Ata and Lake Karakul, set against an equally impressive backdrop of other snow-capped giants making up the several ranges that meet here. After reaching Base Camp, we rest the night before making the final trek to Camp 1, where the journey included in China vacation packages reaches its climax and we savor breathtaking vistas at a frosty 5,300m. Our objective reached, we descend the mountain and return to Kashgar for two days of much deserved R&R, putting the rigors of Muztagh Ata behind us as we soak in the city's lively market bazaars, resplendent mosques and warm hearted Central Asian hospitality.